Gas or Electric?

[valley ranch]

I have been whining to get rid of my electric range and replace with gas for several years. DH has been concerned that we would have the same sickening fumes from the range that we have from our ventless fireplace that we are unable to use.
I have been researching and asking questions of appliance people and not gotten a satisfactory answer.
My research has let me to info that says natural gas has a lot of noxious fumes besides methane, which perhaps has gotten worse since the gas companies have been fracking. These fumes can cause exacerbation of asthma and a host of other respiratory problems.
The fumes are worse with the appliances that don't have an upward outside vent. Basically, anything but a gas furnace and water heater.
DH and I don't have respiratory issues, but golly that ventless fireplace sure made us sick. I don't want to take a chance on this, especially after spending a thousand bucks on a gas cooktop.
I guess I may just have to put up with the electric range. Do you have gas or electric? Any problems? Would you switch to one or the other?

Vent less Fire place ~ Is that a gas fireplace ????

I have a gas stove ~ un vented ~ the house isn't air tight ~ so some cold air is entering the house and some warm air leaving ~ still it wouldn't be much of a problem to add a simple vent if you wanted ```

I prefer gas ``` there is an electric two burner cook top in the bunkhouse ```

 

[flowerbug]

I have been whining to get rid of my electric range and replace with gas for several years. DH has been concerned that we would have the same sickening fumes from the range that we have from our ventless fireplace that we are unable to use.
I have been researching and asking questions of appliance people and not gotten a satisfactory answer.
My research has let me to info that says natural gas has a lot of noxious fumes besides methane, which perhaps has gotten worse since the gas companies have been fracking. These fumes can cause exacerbation of asthma and a host of other respiratory problems.
The fumes are worse with the appliances that don't have an upward outside vent. Basically, anything but a gas furnace and water heater.
DH and I don't have respiratory issues, but golly that ventless fireplace sure made us sick. I don't want to take a chance on this, especially after spending a thousand bucks on a gas cooktop.
I guess I may just have to put up with the electric range. Do you have gas or electric? Any problems? Would you switch to one or the other?

if you have issues with breathing, no i would not get a gas stove... the old style ones used to have pilot lights which were on all the time and at times they could go out and then you have a gas build up. the newer ones i would hope have electronic ignition or something better. i haven't looked. but we grew up on gas range and i liked it for some things (like quickly broiling a half a tomato just sitting on the burner for a few moments...

i really don't mind the electric range here. it's accurate enough (the oven works for what we need it for) - it's gone 22yrs and only needed the bottom element replaced. *knocks on wood* for as much as we use it (oven canning and all of Mom's baking) it's done well for itself. (GE)

i think most people don't like them because they use thin pans and burn stuff... we have some thin pans i don't like to use, but in a crunch we do. i usually have to scrub the bottom well to get the over-browned stuff off.

 

[so lucky]

You live with fumes from your fireplace? Get rid of it. We have a gas furnace with has a flu vented outside. I have never smelled fumes from my gas stove. Perhaps you have poorer quality gas which I have never heard of. I would get rid of the stove and stick with the electric stove given what you have said.I love cooking with gas have used in since I was a child. I have used electric and get used to it quickly.

We don't use the fireplace; it's just taking up space in our living room right now. I haven't had a gas range for 40 years or so. I remember my mom's gas range from years ago, putting out a faint gas smell. And you always knew when the pilot light went out.
This concern is not a gas smell (the mercaptan that is added) but a nearly odorless byproduct from the combustion of natural gas. We just don't know what it is, and if it is specific to the way the ventless gas fireplace combusts or to any other appliance that uses natural gas here in SE Missouri. Like you said, Cat, we may have a poor quality gas.

 

[Carol Dee]

I WANT a gas range , But it would be a lot of work to replace the electric I have. With gas things heat quickly and evenly. When a boil over occurs shut of flame and heat is GONE. Not so with electric. Sis has always had a gas stove. Can't say I smell it ever. I would worry that the smell from the fireplace is a leak that allows you to smell the unburned gas. Have it checked out.

 

[catjac1975]

I WANT a gas range , But it would be a lot of work to replace the electric I have. With gas things heat quickly and evenly. When a boil over occurs shut of flame and heat is GONE. Not so with electric. Sis has always had a gas stove. Can't say I smell it ever. I would worry that the smell from the fireplace is a leak that allows you to smell the unburned gas. Have it checked out.

They have the new electric range where you need special pans to use it. The top is never hot to the touch and reacts to the metal inn the pans. My neighbor has it and loves it. However she would not be likely to admit that she made a mistake in buying it. I think I heard that she has repaired 3 time in maybe 5 years..

 

[Ridgerunner]

They have the new electric range where you need special pans to use it. The top is never hot to the touch and reacts to the metal inn the pans. My neighbor has it and loves it. However she would not be likely to admit that she made a mistake in buying it. I think I heard that she has repaired 3 time in maybe 5 years..

I wonder if you could can on it? Somehow I'd be skeptical. With my current gas range the top is plenty strong enough to hold a big pot full of heavy water and produce. With my last Whirlpool electric I got a special coil that was reinforced for the weight and was raised a bit to not cause a heat build-up in the top of the range.

 

[jackb]

We have had nothing but gas stoves for over half a century and would never switch to electric. My son has an electric stove and if my wife has to cook a meal at his house all she does is complain about the stove. Also, we have a ventless fireplace and it does not have any smell either. The ventless fireplace has saved our bacon many times during electrical outages as it needs no electricity to operate the thermostat. I use a can of compressed air to blow the dust out of the fireplace a few times a season to keep it working properly.

 

[Nyboy]

I also have a ventless fireplace hooked up to my propane tank no smell.

 

[flowerbug]

we converted the fireplace into a fake log propane setup, but the fireplace vent is open and they put a block on it so that it can't ever be closed completely. it also has an annoyingly loud pilot light, so i turn it off completely at the main valve instead of wasting propane on the pilot light.

having that vent open during the whole winter is rotten design. we use it only in case of emergency because it sucks more cold air in from outside than what it can heat, but at least if you are near it you can keep warm until the power comes back on. we've also used it to warm up some food and water a few times during the power outages.

it's not very efficient and gives off a lot of soot so i don't like to use it much at all for decoration/effect.

i wanted something more efficient and not using a pilot light when we had this installed but i was overruled...

as for having a lingering hot burner on an electric, i just move things to the side if it is that critical. on the old gas stove the grates would retain heat too so i've never even thought much of that as an issue.

 

[Nyboy]

Mine throws out so much heat the furnace willn't come on no matter how cold outside is